Which thermometer to believe

[Hugh]

Sorry for the photo quality, not sure what is up with my camera.

I'm cooking ribs on my Weber gasser. If you look at the photo you will see 2 pieces of tin foil where I have my thermometers. I don't have much room to put the thermometer so one is between two slabs (a couple inches from meat), and one is top right, at the back side of the grill.

My set up - Left burner on with smoke box on it. Middle and right burner are off. Water pan over middle burner.

The middle thermometer is above the water pan and it reads 181 degrees. The thermometer that is not over the water pan off to the top right reads 243. The Weber cheap thermometer reads about 265.

I'm not sure which thermometer is the temp to monitor.

Thanks, Hugh

[SmokenInTexas]

The temp by the meat in the early stages of cooking will read lower due to moisture from the raw meat being expelled.
All you need to know is pit temp and meat temp. But since getting an accurate read on ribs with a prob is a losing proposition you have to go by feel much like a brisket.
Worry about pit temps and do the bend test.

[Hugh]

Its the pit temp where I'm getting such a range of readings. Neither thermometer was in meat, both were a couple of inches away from the meat. I wasn't sure what temp to set with a range like that of 60 degrees.

I removed the water pan (smoking done) and put a thermometer on each side of the meat (more than two inches from the meat). The side furthest from the heat now says 205, the one closest to the heat reads 250. I didn't expect to still see such a range without the water.

[GadjetGriller]

There is a very good chance that both probes are correct. Watch the ribs closely and if some start to put on color faster than the others you have hot spots (DUM Dum dunnn <---Music) and as the old GI Joe cartoon use to say Now you know and knowing is half the battle! the other half is rotating the ribs to keep even cooking! they look good so far!

[HouseHomey]

Likely they are both correct.

[Hugh]

Man nothing is ever easy! I'll take your advice and rotate the meat.

I had no idea that you could have a hot spots when doing an low and slow indirect cook.

[JCGrill]

Not sure if this will tell you anything, but try putting both in an ice bath, should say 32. Of course there's a chance they spread out at the top end, so boiling water is another test. 212 at sea level, something slightly less elsewhere.

[kmhfive]

I think they were both reading correctly. Rotating the meat is the answer.

[Hugh]

It all worked out. First successful rib cook.

[kmhfive]

Congratulations! Looks delicious.

[HawkerXP]

Yum, yum, yum!

[DWCowles]

Beautiful!